Why do I have to answer profile questions?The profile questions help people search for friends. They also help MyEC prevent spam from illegitimate members. By keeping your profile up-to-date, you help other members find you.

What action should I take if I suspect spam or a scam on MyEC?
Go to the page of the member you want to report and click Report Member.

What happens when I report a member?
Thank you for taking the time to report a member that you think may have broken MyEC rules. MyEC admin will review your report and take your concerns into consideration. Action will be taken as appropriate. Please understand that it is MyEC policy not to remove content based solely on religious or political grounds. If you do not include a URL of the member's page or content, we cannot take any action. (The name of the member is not enough, as many of our members have the same name.) Complaints about chat room abuse should include a screenshot of the conversation.

What does "member has chosen to moderate comments" mean?
Your comment will not appear until the member reads and approves it.

How do I search MyEC?
You can search the whole of MyEC from the box at very top right of every MyEC page.

How do I do a member search?
Go to Members > Advanced Search. You can search by name, gender, country, city, state, status (teacher, learner etc), and level of English.

Why shouldn't I send a group message to ALL of my friends?
Most people will not open a group message. These are viewed as a form of spam. Send personal messages or place individual comments on walls instead.

How do I turn off the beep?
Click on the sound icon in the chat room.

How do I stop people inviting me to chat privately?
You can appear offline by clicking on the green dot at the bottom of the screen to turn it red. This will show you as offline. If you click it again to make it green it will show you as online.

Sometimes my comment on another member's wall does not appear immediately. Why not?
The member has chosen to review comments before publishing them.

How can I see who is online?
On the chat bar at the bottom of your screen you can see how many members are online. If you open the Chat window you can see exactly who is online. You can also click on Members and scroll through the photos to see who is online.When you go to any member's My Page you will see if that member is online or offline. (Note that someone can be online but set their status to offline. In that case you will not see them as online.)

How do I search for friends from my country or any country?
Go to Members > Advanced Search. Choose the country you want from the drop down list and click Search. You can also add other criteria such as city, English level or Skype user.

How do I search for friends or other members that I know?
Use the search box on the top right corner of every page. Enter the member's name. Or go to Members and use the Search on that page.

How do I invite people to MyEC?
Go to Invite. The second option is the easiest way to invite a friend. Click on Enter Email Addresses. Include a short message, such as: &quot;MyEC is a great way to learn English. You can create your own web page and meet learners and teachers from all over the world. It's free!

What happens when I decline (ignore) a friend request?
When you ignore a friend request there is no notification to the other person. This action will NOT show up under Latest Activity on your page or the main page.

How do I delete a friend?
Go to your friend's page and click Remove as Friend (near top of left-and column). When you de-friend a member, he or she will not receive any notification. However, the next time your old friend logs in your picture will no longer appear in his or her friends list.

How do I introduce myself to MyEC members?
An easy way to introduce yourself is to leave a comment on a member's wall. Say hello and tell the member a little bit about yourself.

How can I introduce myself to new members?
Go to Settings > Email. Check the box that says "Notify me when new member joins." Each time a new member joins you can visit their page. Say hello on the comment wall. If you like what you see, add the member as a friend and include a short message. You can also go to Members. The newest members are on the first page.

How can I find friends at the same English level?
Go to Members > Advanced Search. Under "English level" choose the English level you want. Click Search.

How do I start a group?
Go to MyEC > Groups > Add Group. Add a profile picture of the group and fill in ALL the necessary information.You will need to wait for your group to be approved. Once approved, invite members to join your group. Start a discussion.

How do I rate other members' content?
You can rate other members' photos, videos and music. Under the photos and videos you will see two sets of stars. Rate the content by clicking on the stars on the right. Content with the most "views" is the most popular.

Why is some content featured?
EC features high quality, popular content so that all members can find it easily. Featured pictures, videos and blogs usually have the most views or the highest rating.

What is EnglishClub.com Feed?
The RSS feed on the right side of your My Page features updated content on EnglishClub.com. This is a set box that cannot be removed from your page.

How does a member get banned from MyEC?
Reasons for banning include: spamming other members (either with comments or mail), posting pornographic or other offensive avatars, photos, videos. Once someone is banned there will be no discussion about regaining membership. Remember to always sign out if you are using a public computer. Banned members will not be welcomed back.

Why do some members have the word MOD under their name?
A few long-term active members act as moderators on MyEC. These are volunteers who help moderate the chatroom, forums, blogs, photo and media galleries. They feature top content and remove or report content or behaviour that is not appropriate. MyEC admin is not currently looking for new moderators.

Why do some members have the word SPAMBUSTER under their name?
Some of our members regularly report spammers in order to keep our club free from advertisers or Internet predators. These volunteers have been selected by admin. All members are welcome to report spam and spammers.

MY PAGE

How do I get people to read my blog?
Choose your title carefully. Make the content interesting. Add an image to your blog. Leave comments on other people's blogs. Leave a message on a friend's wall inviting them to read your blog. Don't leave the same message on many different walls. This may be viewed as spam. Your account will be disabled.

I uploaded a photo. Why was it deleted or not approved?
Probably you did not give your photo a title and descripition in English. Please change "123456789.JPG" into something intelligent such as "My School". Please also give your photo a useful description, such as "This is the school in Bangkok where I used to go as a child". This helps people search for photos and add useful comments. Photos with no useful title or description will be deleted.

How do I delete a comment that I don't want on my wall?
Click on the X in the comment box and the comment will be deleted.

Why did I receive notification that I had 5 new comments, but I only see 3?
The member may have deleted or changed their own comments after your notification was sent.

I received a message that a member left a comment for me, but I can't see it on my wall. When I go to this member's profile there is an error message. What happened?
Most likely this member was banned from MyEC. The comment was likely spam. If that person was a friend he or she will no longer be in your friends list.

How do I turn on/off email notifications?
Go to Settings > Email. Check the boxes that you want.

How do I receive the MyEC newsletter?
By signing up for MyEC you will automatically receive a short, regular newsletter. This may include links to featured content and updates or reminders. Make sure you are on the list by going to Settings > Email. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "I don't want to receive emails from MyEnglishClub", and make sure the box is not checked.

What happens if I don't sign out of MyEC when I leave?
The next time you come back to MyEC on your computer you will still be signed in. Always sign out if you are using a public computer. If not, someone else could enter your account and post offensive material for which you might be banned.

Can I change my status to appear offline?
At the bottom right of every page (except main page), click the green disc to appear offline. Click the red disc to appear online.

How do I prevent my actions from showing up under Latest Activity on the MyEC main page?
Go to Settings > Privacy. Adjust the settings under Latest Activity. Latest Activity will never show your sent messages, pages or members you view, members you de-friend or decline, or items you delete. You can delete your own activities on the main page by clicking on the X beside your activity.

How do I get friends to read and comment on my blog?
You can Send a Message to all of your friends to notify them of your new blog. Add a link to the URL in the body of your note. If you respond to comments often on your blog they will appear in the Latest Activity on the MyEC main page.

How do I get my content featured?
Every month MyEC chooses content to feature in our regular MyEC Newsletter. We only feature good quality content from pages that are public. Here are some reasons why we do NOT feature content:

your page is set to private

the text of your blog(s) has been copied from another page on the Internet

your photos and/or videos do not have titles and descriptions

Help MyEC feature your favourite content by rating photos and videos.

Can I copy text that is not mine to my My Page?
You may copy small amounts (a paragraph or poem), but it must be cited. Do not copy large amounts of text, with or without citation (EC may delete these without warning).

Can I remove ads from My Page?
Ads (advertisements) may sometimes show on My Page. You cannot remove these ads. MyEC could not offer this free service without advertising support.

Can I change the URL to my My Page?
You can change the last word in your URL. Go to Settings > My Page and adjust Page Address.

What is the "Post an event" option for?
Members, teachers and MyEC admin can use this section to post news of events such as meetings, holidays etc. It is like a diary or calendar. Click on Add Event. Fill in the details. Invite friends. (Never include a home address.)

What can I use the MyEC badge for?
You can use the badge to connect people to your My Page from other social network, such as Facebook or MySpace. You can also place one on your personal website by using the embed code.Note that if you change your profile picture you will need to re-create your badge.

Why can't I change the Appearance of my My Page?
Since MyEC is used by learners of all levels, we have chosen a simple, default Appearance (design or look). This makes page set up easy. However, you can change the look of your text box by adding photos and links and using basic html tags (for example you can change the colour or the background of your text). You can also change the position or layout of boxes on your My Page by dragging them around with your mouse. Look at other members' pages for inspiration.

How do I delete my My Page and close my English Club account? I don't want to be a member any more.
Go to your Settings. Scroll to the bottom. Choose "Leave English Club". We recommend that you do NOT delete all content. If you choose to come back, your page will still be available. Sign up again with the same email address and password to retrieve your content. If you delete all content, all of your blogs, photos, discussions, etc. will be deleted immediately.

IMPROVING MY ENGLISH

How can I improve my English using MyEC?
Because MyEC is a specialized social network, it is a great way to practise English. You can start a blog, read blogs, write comments, learn new vocabulary and expressions and chat with learners and teachers at many different levels. MyEC is a fun way to learn to communicate. It will also keep you in touch with what's new at EnglishClub.com.

How can I get help with my specific English needs?
Ask for help in your blog. Approach a teacher or an advanced learner with a specific question (do NOT send the same question to several different people - that is rude and wastes their time). Follow teachers closely. Many post free lessons on their blogs. While MyEC is great for practising English, the learn English section of EnglishClub.com is the place to find lessons and skill-based help.

How can I improve my listening skills on MyEC?
Go to the the MyEC main page and check out the music player. Members have also posted many videos that can help you practise your listening. Find listening lessons on EnglishClub.com.

How can I improve my speaking skills on MyEC?
Use the music player to record your voice. Go to the chat room and practise speaking by reading the dialogue out loud. Read (out loud) the blogs of teachers and advanced learners. Watch videos. Find friends to Skype with. Find speaking lessons on EnglishClub.com.

How can I improve my reading skills on MyEC?
Read through the pages in the MyEC drop down menu. Read blogs. Search for teachers and advanced learners and read their blogs and comments. Watch the EnglishClub.com RSS feed for new lessons. Find reading lessons on EnglishClub.com.

How can I improve my writing skills on MyEC?
Start a blog. Leave comments on walls and blogs. Write a bio and place it in your text box. Find writing lessons on EnglishClub.com.

COMMUNICATIONS

How can I Skype with other MyEC members?
You can find other members who use Skype by going to Members > Advanced Search. You can also see if someone uses Skype by looking at their Profile Information. Send a message to your friends and give them your Skype ID. The next time you are both online on MyEC you can Skype each other for free and practise your speaking.